Swimming pools have become popular for both recreation and exercise. FIG. 1 is an illustration of a conventional above ground swimming pool 10. Outdoor swimming pools such as above ground swimming pools 10 naturally accumulate a large amount of debris. In order to mitigate the debris from fouling a circulating water system, many pools incorporate a swimming pool skimmer.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an example of a pool skimmer 20 of a conventional above ground swimming pool 10. The pool skimmer 20 has a large rectangular opening 28 with a weir door 24 that controls how water enters the pool skimmer 20. The pool skimmer 20 generally includes a basket (not shown) for catching some of the larger surface debris and a cylindrical discharge cylinder 26 at the bottom of it which connects to filter hoses of a circulating water system. The pool skimmer 20 also includes an access lid 22 that allows access to the basket for removal of debris.
FIG. 3 is an illustration of a pool skimmer 20 attached to an above ground swimming pool 10. A pool skimmer 20 in an above ground swimming pool 10 is attached to the wall 32 of the pool 10 by installing a faceplate (not shown) on the inside of the above ground swimming pool 10 and the pool skimmer 20 on the outside of the swimming pool 10.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the pool skimmer 20 illustrating water entering the pool skimmer 20. FIG. 4 illustrates a pool skimmer 20 in use in an in-ground swimming pool. Water enters the pool skimmer 20 while a pump (not shown) for circulating water is running and the water flows inward, the top of the weir door 24 pulls in a bit and forces more water to enter the pool skimmer 20 more from the surface 42 rather than from below the surface 44. The weir door 24 floats at the water level, causing a suction action to speed up the water flow and to pull in debris that accumulates at the surface 42. Greater flow from the surface 42 of the water translates to greater removal of surface, floating debris that would not be taken out as effectively without the weir door 24, thus, enhancing the debris removal process. This effect is desired in a swimming pool 10 and results in the skimming action of the pool skimmer 20 that removes floating debris (leaves, insects, pine needles, pollen, etc.).
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the pool skimmer 20 that includes the skimmer basket 52 for catching debris. Because large surface debris received by pool skimmer 20 is caught in the skimmer basket 52, an access lid 22 which opens into an open chamber 56 to allow removal of the skimmer basket 52 for emptying the caught debris. The access lid 22 covers an access opening 54 allowing access to the open chamber 56 into which a quantity of the pool water enters the pool skimmer 20. Access opening 54 may be, for example, cylindrical in shape to complement a circular shaped access lid 22. The access lid 22 may include a central hole 58 by which the access lid 22 may be removed to access the skimmer basket 52. Access hole 58 has the purpose of enabling a user to insert a finger or tool into the access hole 58 to pull access lid 22 up for removal of the access lid 22 and allowing access to skimmer basket 52. Access lid 22 may be configured with the access hole 58 in alternative configurations other than that shown in FIG. 5 or access lid 22 may include more than one access hole 58.
FIG. 6 is an illustration of an example of activity in a conventional above ground swimming pool 10 causing turbulence on the surface of the above ground swimming pool 10.
Referring again to FIGS. 4 and 5, the pool skimmer 20 receives water primarily from the surface 42. Thus, the increased activity in the above ground pool 10 as shown in FIG. 6 results in more turbulent water entering the pool skimmer 20. Consequently, the turbulent water has the result of expelling water from the pool skimmer 20 through the access hole 58 of the access lid 22. This discharge of excess water can result in the wasteful loss of water and results in more frequent resupply of water. This situation can have a more amplified effect in regions where draughts are frequent and water loss more important to prevent. Such regions also generally experience a high population of swimming pools.
Thus, there is a need for a device to prevent the excess loss of water through pool skimmers during times when excessive turbulence leads to a higher loss of water.